Level-5, one of Japan’s most esteemed developers and the minds behind such classics as the Professor Layton series and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (review here) have today released ‘Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale” for the Nintendo 3DS via the Nintendo eShop. The title was originally a Japanese-exclusive game, as part of the GUILD02 collection, which was a collection of games created by some of the country’s best, and most respected game directors.
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale puts players in 1970s Showa-era Japan, in a little town just outside of Tokyo, where the monsters from TV come alive every Friday. The game comes from game design mastermind Kaz Ayabe, and is his first work published outside of Japan.
Coming from such a prestigious developer definitely puts a lot of hype into this game, but it is also enough to warrant a look from most people. You will probably get even more of a kick out of it if you were a fan of the old Godzilla movies, or like me grew up watching Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is available NOW on the 3DS eShop for a reasonable $10.40. Let us know in the comments below if you will be downloading this game, or if you have been lucky enough to play any of Kaz Ayabe’s previous titles, and as always, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the video game news as it becomes available.
This year is the inaugural PAX Australia event, and the first time the massive gaming conference has ever been outside of its home country of the United States. Tonnes of game companies are making a strong appearance at the show, which runs from Friday the 19th through to Sunday the 21st of this month, and Nintendo looks to be leading the charge and providing something for everyone.
First and foremost; the Nintendo Booth will be THE place to be during the event, and will allow you to meet up with fellow Nintendo 3DS owners and play multiplayer in games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf (review here), Fire Emblem: Awakening (review here), Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (review here), Luigi’s Mansion 2 (review here), Mario Kart 7 (review here) and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3d (review here).
Are you into Animal Crossing? Then Nintendo has you covered!
At 4:30pm on Saturday, Nintendo will be hosting a special video chat with the development team for Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Fans will have the chance to ask questions to the team about the game and what is next for the series. If you are a long-time Animal Crossing lover, or have recently been swept up in the excitement of New Leaf then this is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
Want to try the new Zelda game? Yeah, they got you covered there too!
Nintendo has one last small/tiny event happening over the weekend. There is this little-known game franchise from Nintendo by the name of Pokemon, and there will be the Video Game Nationals Tournaments being held through the weekend. That’s right, you can see some of the best in the country battle it out for top prize and to see who will head on to the World Championships in a few months time. Oh, and don’t forget that anyone can enter! Think you are the very best, like no one ever was? Then prove it!
The Big-N will also be hosting competitions and play offs through the weekend, so it is definitely worth your time to check out the Nintendo Booth. We have some of our best guys down at PAX Australia this year, so be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers over the weekend for all the information out of the conference.
Anohana Studio: A1-Pictures Publisher: Hanabee Format: DVD Release Date: July 3rd, 2013 Price:$49.99 – Available Here
Overview
Loss can do strange things to a person. The void left behind can haunt you. Theses ghosts of the past, can break you or save you. Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day embodies this notion, in what is one of the most heartbreaking anime series the medium has ever seen. Anohanais a beautiful anime series filled with raw heart and soul. This is essential anime viewing in every regard.
Story
What Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day accomplishes in 11 episodes is nothing short of phenomenal. In an age of incomplete endings, lack of thematic resolution, rush jobs and pacing disasters, Anohana stands out as a complete package. In 11 episodes it tells a complete story that hits all the right beats and concludes in one of the most beautiful finales in anime.
The hook of Anohana is its brilliantly realised cast of distinct characters, each with their own defined personality and connections to one another. Each character has a connection to each other in one way or another, differing between each of them. All of them however are brought together by one person, Menma.
When Menma is gone these friends drift apart, heartbroken by the tragic loss of their friend, each blaming themselves for her fate and baring that guilt since that day. All of this changes when one of the kids starts seeing the ghost of Menma. Over the course of the series they begin to come to terms with the loss of their friend, each being touched by her in one way or another.
What makes Anohana so very special though is the way it deals the central tragedy with such care. Often in television these kinds of emotional plot points are exploiatative and play with viewers in a manipulative way. Such is not the case in Anohana, it approaches Menma’s tragedy with a gentle touch, never going too far or reveling in the details of her accident. It adds so much more to the emotional impact of Anohana with its intentional withholding of all the cards, letting the viewer fill in the blanks themselves. After all it isn’t important how it happened, but the fact that it happened.
If Anohana went into great detail of the accident and what had occurred, it would have detracted all the soul of the situation. Instead of being an honest human drama it would have become a dark drama reveling in the tragedy. Instead it highlights the friendship of its cast and the way they are affected by this loss. The way it dives into the friendship of this group is touching at the same time heartbreaking, the distance between them and the ways in which they inadvertently continue to hurt one another is tragic. But no matter the pain or sadness they must go through, there is hope that things will one day be okay for these friends. It is exactly the right note for this series to hit and that is one chord it plays better than any other.
Things ultimately come full circle in a finale to savor. It is a real tear-jerker of a conclusion, that reaches a resolution that shines a ray of hope, that things will be okay for these characters we have come to love. It would take nerves of steel not to get teary eyed by this finale. It is so sad yet so beautiful, which is of course the perfect way to end this series.
It is that gentle touch that makes Anohana so remarkable. It has a warm heart that resides beneath the surface that makes sure you don’t fall into solemnity, highlighting a hopefulness that series such as this often lack. It is that heart that makes this such a memorable experience, one that will resonate with you long after viewing. It will hit you hard and stay with you.
Visuals and Audio
The aesthetics on show in Anohana are easily the best A1-Pictures have produced. From start to finish the quality is superb, with beautiful sakuga animation on show in even the simplest of scenes. With an 11 episode run, A1-Pictures clearly put their all into every facet of production on the series. The character designs are appealing and the scenery is nothing short of gorgeous. It is a brilliant animation production from top to bottom.
The soundtrack is equally as impressive, with great incidental music to back the action playing out on screen. It is worth noting that the series features amazing opening and ending themes that perfectly capture the spirit of Anohana. Both tracks are instantly memorable and begin and end every episode of Anohana in a great way.
This release is subtitle-only and features the excellent Japanese audio dub. it is a ittle disheartening that a series this remarkable wasn’t able to recieve an English dub, but the voice work on the Japanese audio is beautiful to say the very least.
Extras
This particular release of Anohana is fairly bare-bones unfortunately. It doesn’t feature an English dub for starters and only comes with minimal special features. This is of course disappointing, but it still has enough to warrant a purchase. It includes the usual features like trailers and clean theme songs. Despite the lack of extra content, Hanabee have done a respectable job on this release and it is undoubtedly worth the price tag on it.
Overall Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day is a modern anime classic. It is a tragic story filled with heartbreak, loss, grieving but filled with hope, heart, friendship and love. In 11 episodes it does more than some series do with 51 episodes. Anohana is a beautifully crafted anime series that must be watched by anime fans. While this release is not perfect, the series itself is without a doubt a perfect experience and it is an experience that should not be missed. Add Anohana to the bucket list, this is anime you should be watching.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! is yet another game based on the series and will have a completely new storyline where players will have to save the Candy Kingdom by exploring a Secret Royal Dungeon deep below the Land of Ooo.
Playable characters include Finn, Jake, Marceline, Cinnamon Bun and more while four player co-op multiplayer is confirmed. Adventure Time will be on the Wii U, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-bit Land is coming exclusively to the 3DS star the two main characters who are transported into some of their favourite video games. Players must use their skills and abilities to escape and get back home.
Check out the new trailers with staff interviews below:
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!
Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-bit Land
Both titles are being developed by WayForward in close collaboration with the shows’ creators and are due out this summer 2013.
Welcome to another episode of CC Indie Spotlight where we demo the latest and greatest of indie gaming.
This episode features Dungeon Dashers, upcoming game from the developer Jigxor still in beta stage for PC. Dungeon Dashers is a dungeon crawling game with turn-based gameplay that will also feature online play when the final version of the game is released. In Dungeon Dashers you get to control four different kinds of heroes (Knight, Mage, Rogue and Archer) on a quest to find and take down an evil wizard. Each of the heroes have their own special abilities that are needed over come some of the puzzles and obstacles that you will encounter within the dungeons, working as a team will be the only way to succeed and conquer some of the very well designed levels within the game.
Today for your viewing pleasure game-play walk through for the first few levels of the game which can be checked out below. More information regarding Dungeon Dashers can be found at their official s website here. Be sure to also check out our written preview for the game as well here.
Ghost in the Shell: Arise is the first of four all-new prequel OVAs that follow a younger Motoko Kusanagi and her future Section 9 colleagues. First released in 1995, Mamoru Oshii and Production I.G.’s Ghost in the Shell made a huge impact in the anime scene. After its sequel, GITS2: Innocence, and the GITS: Stand Alone Complex TV series, the franchise has gained millions of fans worldwide.
The latest work from filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (5cm Per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices), The Garden of Words is an emotional, calming and beautifully measured work that examines a chance encounter between two lonely people.
The two films are to be screened as a double bill due to their shorter length, which is an awesome chance to hit two birds with one stone. GITS: Arise and The Garden of Words join Evangelion 3.0, 009 Re:Cyborg and A Letter To Momo to form Madman’s pretty stellar line up this year.
REEL Anime 2013 will screen in selected cinema locations across Australia in October, with venues and sessions to be confirmed closer to the event. For more info visit the official site.
Dungeon Dashers is an up and coming dungeon crawler game from Jigxor. It’s described as a fast-paced turn-based dungeon crawler, which may sound incredibly contradictory, but it is also very true. In this preview we were using an early build of the game (Build 277) so things touched in here may change later in development.
In Dungeon Dashers, players are tasked with navigating and clearing dungeons while controlling a small cast of four characters. Each of these characters have their own strengths and weaknesses which must be accounted for by the player. Players play as a Wizard, an Archer, a Thief and a Warrior/Knight. As you can guess, the Wizard is good at casting magic and dealing tonnes of damage from a distance, the Archer is a good distance fighter but isn’t too good up close, the Thief has high DPS but only does good damage when they’re able to use most of their energy on a single target and the Warrior is a good all around up close fighter capable of quickly closing the distance and taking a hit.
Dungeon Dashers is controlled by the keyboard (at this point in time) and has an intuitive control scheme. Anyone that has played a MOBA in any capacity will recognise the keys used for skills in this game. What’s nice about Dungeon Dashers is that players are able to do many basic things just by running into an object, such as a crate or an enemy unit. By doing this, your currently controlled character will do their basic actions, such as breaking furniture or attacking an enemy. It’s not until you start to use skills where you need to start using the select key to assign actions.
Your standard level in Dungeon Dashers is a bit like a maze, much like your standard Dungeon Crawler type dungeons. When navigating one of these dungeons, players will have to alternate between characters to keep them close by hitting the ENTER key, however, in most levels, there are these teleport tiles that shift the other characters in your team to you.
If a player is outside of combat, they are free to move about as much as they like, however, once they’re in combat, their character is restricted to make a certain number of moves. While playing, you’ll notice that on the bottom right there is a bar that is blue in colour and is numbered. Both moving and doing an action while in combat lowers this bar. Some actions drain this more than others. For example, a fireball will lower it by a significant amount, whilst moving will only lower it by a single point.
One thing that may throw players off initially is the less than modern look of the game. However, it could be argued that this game would simply not work as well if it had a more modern look. It has a gameplay design reminiscent of a bygone era, and arguably more fun, period which is reflected in the more basic, design. In this case, basic is not a bad thing, it’s a part of the Dungeon Dashers experience and Dungeon Dashers is an amazing one.
What’s interesting about Dungeon Dashers is that it comes fully equipped with it’s own level editor for players to use. This allows you to create and share your own Dungeon Dashers levels, adding to the package and increasing replayability and potentially adding to the fun and challenge behind the game.
The first thing that players will notice about the game is its amazing soundtrack. It is really, really, quite awesome. What makes this soundtrack so good, is that it is insanely catchy while also being quite retro with its chiptune basis. The soundtrack really adds this level of greatness to an already great game that only a soundtrack could add. Listening to the games opening theme is like listening to the main Zelda theme for the first time ever. Hopefully Jigxor will release the games soundtrack as an OST. The way it segues in and out while in combat, the tunes that play whilst exploring and even the cutscene music is all great.
Dungeon Dashers is a game that is quite aware that it is a game. Many of the characters will make fourth-wall breaking acknowledgements at certain points, as well as some of the object in the game. Each of the cast members have their own personalities that add to the entertainment of the game. They’re almost caricatures of the classes they each represent, but in a way that is amusing and not groan-worthy.
Overall Dungeon Dashers is a well designed game with the fun factor that many games simply do not come with these days. It’s a light-hearted, challenging and fun game that will surely have you entertained until the end. At the very least, the soundtrack alone warrants a purchase at this point. But you definitely wont be disappointed with the gameplay.
Be sure to check out the games official website. Also be sure to check out hands on video gameplay for Dungeon Dashers here.
Kamikaze Pigs Developer:MostroGames Publisher:Chillingo Platforms:iOS (iPhone and iPad) – Reviewed on iPad Release Date: 18th July 2013 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Making iOS games. Uh-huh. Join a battalion of swine as they wage war on…other swine. Let chaos reign as you begin and end battles in one fell swoop.
First days can be rough buddy
Story Beginning at the end, we are thrown headfirst into the raging conflict and the final battle of the war. One tap, explosions rage and we are thrown back 300 days. We are then shown the gruelling taining program required for pig soldiers…via a four panel comic. Over the course of 8 minutes, random soldier #1 is given equipment and pushed into battle. The beginning of another Kamikaze Pig.
Gameplay Point and click destruction pretty much sums up the play style of Kamikaze Pigs. Tapping the screen brings up a circle in which things explode. If a pig is unfortunate enough to be damaged, they begin a chain reaction of chaos. The more strategic the original strike, the longer the Rube Goldberg of death will run and more enemies will be caught in the aftermath.
Cast your cash before swine
There is a total of 5 areas shown in the overworld and at the end of each lies a boss. Unlike the regular pork based enemies, these beings are large and immobile. They are still susceptible to a rain of shrapnel though, so destroy away. Also within each area is a secret level, gained by acquiring enough stars. Each level features a star ranking system and better performance garners more stars. Some stars are located within the level themselves, requiring you to damage them in order for them to count to the total. Others stars are linked to the number of remaining enemies, the less that survive, the higher the score. These stars are also connected to the upgrade system. Upgrades are slowly unlocked as stars are collected, with the more powerful ones requiring upwards of 100 stars.
In order to ramp up the damage, upgrades exist to strengthen your troops. Playing through levels nets you money which can be used to buy new powers. These range from target seeking missiles, to poorly calibrated jetpacks. Upgrades are divided into 8 columns, applying to the 6 different types of pigs, the pointer itself and money gain. The more upgrades bought, the more chaotic and arguably easier each level becomes. A special line of one use upgrades are also available in Survival Mode, giving you an advantage over the horde of enemies.
Cry Havoc! And let slip the hogs of war!
Visuals and Audio The game has very clean, simplistic designs with a cartoon-like style. Pigs patrol the sky in pint sized planes and helicopters and walk the ground in military uniforms. The backgrounds are picturesque and their lack of intricacy means that they do not distract from the foreground destruction. Explosions occur in a typically comic book style, complete with visual effects such as “Boom!” and “Snrrt!”. Classic sound effects.
A majority of the soundtrack for the game consists of trumpets. These add a sense of drama, and further humour, to the cartoon combat. Though depending on how well you’re proceeding, this may be contested by the sound of numerous explosions and the gunfire of crashing planes. This theme continues on the victory and surrender screen, where very emotive trumpets convey the result of you battle.
You fought bravely soldiers…
Overall Kamikaze Pigs is a fun game. Though each level generally involves tapping the screen once, it is undeniably entertaining to watch the chaos and destruction you caused. The levels are short enough, a few seconds actually, that replaying them for stars and money isn’t a real chore. Which is good, because the less upgrades you have, the more frustrated you will become. All in all, a quick fire game of explosions, fun and swine.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
R-Type Developer: DotEmu Publisher: DotEmu Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iPad Release Date: July 18th, 2013 Price: $1.99 – Available Here
Overview
The shoot em up genre is one that has made itself quite at home on mobile devices and it is about damn time the legendary R-Type series made its way aboard the iOS platform. R-Type is notorious for being one of the pioneers of the shoot em up genre and has quite the reputation for its incredible difficulty. In the process of transitioning R-Type to the iOS, I am happy to say that none of what made the original R-Type great has been lost in translation. It is still as challenging, still as addictive and most of all still as fun.
Gameplay
R-Type is a game that really personifies the notion of simple is better. It is a fairly straight forward shoot em up game, with a simple control scheme that takes all of 3 seconds to completely grasp. Moving your finger on the touch screen will move your ship, you automatically shoot and are simply tasked with maneuvering the dangerous outer space battlefield that becomes the backdrop of the action in R-Type.
Some may be concerned that playing the original R-Type is a requirement to play this game, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. R-Type for the iOS is as accessible as these games come. It is easy to learn but difficult to master, the sign of a brilliant game to say the very least.
The difficulty of R-Type is definitely a point of contention however as it may be more of a deterrent to casual gamers looking for simple rewarding fun. This is not a rewarding game, it is a punishing game. The levels are well crafted and grow increasingly difficult the further you progress. In that respect its absolutely faithful to the original game which is renowned for its intense challenge. Needless to say, if a breakneck difficulty is not on your agenda, R-Type may not be your cup of tea. But if you are in the mood for a bit of challenge, look no further than R-Type.
Visuals and Audio
Aesthetically R-Type for the iOS is very faithful the original game. It features 2D sprites and gives off a decidedly old-school feel that will either draw you in or deter you depending upon your persuasion. It is a nice nostalgic trip down memory lane for shoot em up fans of old, and a nice visual experience for those willing to give something old-school a fair go.
The game also features an inspired soundtrack, the likes of which elevate the game to greater heights, showcasing that a brilliant soundtrack adds so much to a gaming experience. R-Type features a soundtrack that will infect your brain and set up camp in your mind’s eye, playing on repeat as it gets stuck in your head. It is an undoubtedly addictive assortment of music.
Overall
If you are looking for a nice retro experience on the iOS, R-Type will give you more than enough of your daily retro intake, mixing casual fun with intense hardcore difficulty unlike any game on the iOS platform. The shoot em up genre is something that you either love it or you hate it, the same can be said about R-Type, it is a game that isn’t for everyone, but it is a damn fine game for those who are into its brand of intense fun. R-Type is a great trip down memory lane for those who remember it and ultimately it is a nice gateway game for those wanting to get into shoot em ups.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Welcome to another episode of CC Indie Spotlight where we demo the latest and greatest of indie gaming.
This episode features Face Noir – is a murder mystery adventure game on PC developed by Italian Indie game developer Mad Orange, and published with localization by Phoenix Online Studios. Face Noir follows the story of a private investigator in 1930’s New York City in a point-and-click adventure. Players will take on the role of ex-cop Jack Del Niro, and find themselves immediately drawn into a world of crime where contacts and persuasion (friendly or not so nice) truly matter.
Today for your viewing pleasure we have game-play walk through for the first chapter of the game which can be checked out below. Face Noir is available now for $19.99 you can purchase the game here. You can also check our our review for Face Noir here.
